Pokéshipping
by RemusKetchum
Summary: A series of interesting one-shots about Ash and Misty's relationship over the years. Generally speaking, their ages will vary from sixteen in some stories up to about twenty-five. It follows a vague canon I have in my head about how their feelings for each other develop as time goes on.
1. He made me Hot Chocolate, I hid his Hat

**Author's Note: **The first of what will hopefully be a satisfying compendium of one-shots about Ash and Misty's relationship. In this piece, Ash is sixteen.

* * *

_He made me Hot Chocolate, I hid his Hat_

It had taken six years for Misty to pluck up the courage to confront him about their badly concealed feelings for each other. Now, as she gazed out of the sitting-room window at Pallet Town from her reclined position on the sofa, she wished that she had asked him sooner.

The mug of hot chocolate was searing to the touch, but she clasped it tightly anyway. He roved about the room in a pair of jeans and socks, rifling through cabinets for his favourite hat. His back was tanned and slightly muscled. He muttered under his breath as he searched fruitlessly. Misty smirked and took a sip from her mug.

'Hey, Ash – do you want to put a shirt on?' she said wryly. 'If your mother arrives home now, she'll probably assume we've been behaving badly.'

Ash jumped as though he had received an electric shock. He whipped around to goggle at Misty, then glanced down at his bare chest, his face filling with colour.

'Er – I – maybe you're right,' he stammered, unsure whether or not Misty was trying to imply something.

She smiled sweetly at him as he dashed from the room and laughed into her mug.


	2. Stargazing

**Author's Note:** I was inspired to write this after my friend pointed up into the sky one night when we were walking home and told me about Venus. I thought it sounded ridiculously romantic, but of course my gruff masculine side wouldn't admit it. So I expressed it here! By the way, Ash is seventeen here (Misty is a year older).

* * *

_Stargazing_

Misty's gaze was fixed on the starry sky, but the only thing that Ash considered to be worth looking at was his girlfriend's face. He readjusted himself on the grass and propped his head up on one hand. After a few moments Misty noticed him staring at her and she turned to look at him.

'What's so interesting?' she asked. 'Are the stars not pretty enough for you?'

'The stars have nothing on you,' said Ash with a crooked grin.

'Ash - that is so cringey!' cried Misty, pushing him playfully in the chest. He fell onto his back, chuckling softly. She pointed up into the sky, where the thin crescent moon shone brightly, despite its small size.

'Look! See that star above the moon? No – the one above it to the right?'

'Mmm?'

'That's Venus. It's the third-brightest object in the sky … after the sun and the moon. Isn't it beautiful?'

'I suppose.'

'It's named after an ancient goddess of love.'

'Yeah?'

'Don't you think that's romantic?'

'I guess.'

'Ash!'

'What?'

Misty propped herself up on her elbow and glared at him. He assumed a guilty expression, not entirely sure what he had done wrong. He couldn't help but notice that her face was lit by the pearly white light of the moon. Her frowning green eyes provided a mesmerising contrast to her pale, glowing skin.

'Show more enthusiasm!' she demanded. 'I didn't drag my ass all the way up this hill to listen to you grunting.'

'Sorry, Mist, but I'm a bit distracted,' he admitted.

'By what?' she snapped.

He raised himself up on his elbow to look her in the eye.

'By the most beautiful face in the world,' he whispered, leaning in closer. 'I know it sounds cringey – but the goddess of love is nothing compared to you.'

Even in the gathering darkness, he could see that Misty was blushing furiously. He had even rendered her momentarily speechless, which was an even bigger accomplishment. Not wishing to give her time to reply, Ash closed the distance between them and kissed her firmly on the lips. She tensed at first with surprise, but then eagerly responded, wrapping her arms around his waist. He pushed her gently back onto the grass and climbed on top of her, kissing her hungrily.

Dusk turned into night around them, and far above in the sky, the goddess of love winked at the pearly crescent moon.


	3. Kalos vs Kanto

**Author's Note: **This was one of those moments when the characters developed minds of their own and took over the story. I really like this piece. I've always thought Amourshipping was close to being canon, so I decided to give the grown-up Ash and Serena a bit of history.

* * *

_Kalos vs Kanto_

The sun shone brilliantly on one of the widest boulevards of Lumiose City. The low and elegant buildings looked stunning in the sun's light, set against the rows of pristinely-pruned birch trees. Expensive cars rolled smoothly down the street as the crowds moved up and down the cobbled pavements outside the countless bars, bistros and cafés. At the far end of the boulevard, the slim and lofty figure of Prism Tower rose high above the old buildings, silhouetted darkly against the sun behind it.

Ash raised his hand to shield his eyes against the sun as he squinted across the road to a red café with a neat striped awning protruding a few feet in front of its spotless windows. Two of the four delicate tables outside the windows were occupied. An old couple sat at one, engaged in deep conversation, and a posh-looking young woman sat at the other, reading something on a shiny black tablet. Ash sighed. Misty must still be on her way from the Lumiose Department Store. They were on holiday together in the Kalos region, and Ash had been persuaded by his delighted girlfriend to visit the fashion capital of the world for a shopping trip. It was their last day in the city, and they had agreed to meet at this café to plan their next destination.

He looked left and right and dashed across the road, attracting several angry looks for his disregard of the pedestrian crossing. He decided that he may as well get a coffee while he waited for her. He reached the cobbled path and stepped aside to allow an old woman and her ridiculously tailored Furfrou to pass. He ambled over to the café's door and gazed thoughtfully at the menu, wondering whether or not to purchase a cake or scone to go with his coffee.

'Ash?'

He jumped and looked around in surprise. When he saw who had spoken to him, his jaw dropped in shock.

The posh girl with the tablet had stood up cautiously and was looking at him with a mixture of delight and uncertainty. She was tall, with long legs accentuated by tight black chinos and a pair of red high-heels. She wore a loose red top beneath a neat cream blazer, and her honey-coloured hair was fashioned in a stylish pixie cut. She took off her large black sunglasses to look at him properly.

'Serena?' said Ash, taking an uncertain step towards her.

'Yes! Oh, it's so good to see you,' she said with a wide smile. 'It's been so long since I saw you last.'

'Yeah, it has. I meant to give you a call to see how you were getting on – but life just got mad in the last year or so,' admitted Ash, scratching his head guiltily.

'I know what you mean – I meant to call, too, but yeah, things were busy,' she trailed off.

Ash experienced a moment of intense awkwardness as he was unsure whether to hug his old friend or not. What about a handshake? But that seemed way too formal. Usually he wouldn't even think twice before crushing one of his childhood friends in a bear-hug, but the rules changed when the friend in question was an ex-girlfriend. Serena looked to be experiencing the same discomfort, so Ash tried to cover it up by offering to buy her a coffee.

'I was just about to grab a coffee while I waited for Misty. If you have time, I could get you one and we could have a catch-up?'

He cringed inwardly as soon as the words left his mouth. But if Serena had any negative feelings about Misty, she concealed them well. She smiled and stuck her sunglasses on her head.

'That would be lovely, thanks, Ash!'

Ten minutes later, Ash sat down in the chair beside Serena and placed two porcelain mugs and saucers on the little table before them. She thanked him gratefully and took a sip from her mug, apparently relishing the hot drink. Ash couldn't help but notice how stunningly pretty she was. It had been nearly two years since they had last met, and in that time she had grown even more gorgeous. Admittedly it had been a very long time since they had gone out together; they had only been teenagers – but the memory of their time together was thick in the air between them. Ash remembered the last time he had wrapped his arms around her waist …

No – he would not go down that road again. He and Serena had split up for a reason, and he loved Misty. He would never betray her; not even in his mind. So he pushed all thoughts of how much his body appreciated seeing Serena again and focused on maintaining pleasant and firmly platonic conversation.

'So how's the life of showcasing going for you?' he asked with interest.

'Really good!' she replied enthusiastically. 'I won the last four in a row and I was invited to appear on Kalos Primetime to talk about the business.'

'Wow, that's fantastic! Congratulations,' said Ash, smiling at her obvious delight. 'I can say I'm friends with a celebrity now.'

She laughed. The crowds flowing by outside the awning continued to pass in a state of quiet urgency as their conversation became more sedate. The old couple at the other table rose laboriously and tottered off into the sunlight. Serena absently began to stir her coffee with her spoon. She gazed thoughtfully at the table top and glanced up at Ash. He could see a question forming in her mind. She opened her mouth to speak.

'Hey, Ash, sorry I'm late -' said a voice from behind him.

He turned around in his seat and saw Misty freeze in mid-step towards him with Pikachu on her shoulder. She had clearly seen who he was sharing a table with.

'Hi, Mist! Look who I bumped into – it's Serena!' he said with what he hoped was convincing casualness.

'I – yes, hi, Serena,' said Misty, giving her a smile which Ash privately thought looked horribly false.

'Misty, it's so good to see you,' smiled Serena in what he thought was a far more convincing tone.

Misty was dressed in her summer gear, which comprised a red and gold tank top with slit and knotted sides and a pair of faded denim shorts. Her red hair almost reached her shoulders. Several shopping bags dangled from each arm. Pikachu cried out in delight and hopped from her shoulder to greet Serena.

'Hi, Pikachu! I've missed you,' she exclaimed, laughing as Pikachu nuzzled her neck.

'Do you wanna sit down and I'll get you a coffee?' asked Ash brightly, jumping up from his chair.

Misty cast him an inscrutable glance and smiled again.

'That sounds great, thanks, Ash. You know what I like.'

She sat down on Serena's other side and the two girls embraced before launching into a gushing conversation. Ash looked on in complete bewilderment as they got on like sisters. He would never understand women. He walked into the shaded café and emerged a few minutes later with a coffee for Misty. He placed it down in front of her and pecked her on the cheek.

'Thanks,' she beamed.

Ash nearly jumped back at the sight of her radiant smile, but fortunately restrained himself.

'Serena was just telling me the most amazing stories about her last few Pokémon Showcases,' she said, glancing admiringly at her. 'She really has achieved so much in the last few years.'

'So have you,' gushed Serena, touching her lightly on the arm. 'I heard from Professor Sycamore that Cerulean Gym was voted number one for excellence last year. That's a wonderful achievement!'

'That's so sweet of you to say,' smiled Misty.

Pikachu hopped over to its best friend's side as Ash sat down beside them again.

'So, what are you in Lumiose for, Serena?' asked Ash, glancing into his mug to see what remained of his drink.

'I just came by to say hello to Professor Sycamore,' she replied, resuming her stirring. 'I'll be heading home to Vaniville Town tomorrow.'

'How's Grace doing?' said Misty, crossing a leg over her knee as she turned to look at Serena more directly.

'Oh, she's great. Still throwing herself around on Rhyhorn. Same old, same old,' said Serena, rolling her eyes. She perked up and put down her spoon. 'I'm actually having a party next week for my twenty-third; you should both come! I really want to stay in contact now that we've bumped into each other again.'

'Yeah, we'd love to!' said Ash at once, beaming at her. He caught himself and glanced at his girlfriend, his enthusiasm waning. 'What do you think, Misty?'

'Yes, absolutely! I'd love to go,' said Misty brightly, any hint of disgruntlement well hidden. Ash wondered whether he would be in trouble for his rash answer later.

'Brilliant! Then that's settled; I'll let you know the details when it gets closer – and invite Brock and May, and everyone else, too! We'll have a proper catch-up,' said Serena heartily.

'Definitely,' beamed Misty.

'Ok, I better get going. I promised Professor Sycamore I would help look after the Pokémon this afternoon. He's one assistant short today,' said Serena, making to stand up. She tucked her tablet into her handbag and returned her mug to the saucer. She dropped a few coins on the table as a tip and leaned down to hug Misty.

'It really was so good to see you both again,' she said softly, releasing Misty and turning to Ash. 'I've missed you all.'

'Same here,' grinned Ash, reaching across the table to give her a brief hug. 'Say hello to Grace for me when you get home.'

She smiled and slid her sunglasses back on.

'Will do. I'll be in touch, guys!'

She ruffled Pikachu's head and walked off into the throng of the crowd. Ash watched her disappear down the boulevard and sat down in her empty chair beside Misty.

'Am I in trouble?' he asked nervously.

She hesitated for a moment.

'No, of course not. She's an old friend of ours; it was good to see her again,' said Misty with an unconvincing smile.

Ash brushed a stray lock of hair off her forehead.

'You know I have no feelings for her anymore? I haven't felt anything for her in a very long time.'

Misty looked at him and nodded. Her green eyes were crinkled with uncertainty.

'You know I trust you, Ash,' she said softly, resting her head on his shoulder. 'I just can't help but feel a bit jealous when one of your ex-girlfriends blossoms out of the ground looking like a supermodel.'

Ash grinned into her hair.

'Yeah, she's pretty hot, right?'

Misty's head shot up and she glared at him.

'I'm just kidding!' he laughed, sliding an arm around her waist.

'You better be, Ketchum!'

'I'm over that phase in my life,' he murmured, leaning his head close to hers.

'What phase would that be?' asked Misty, looking sceptically at him.

'The phase where I wanted to go to far-flung lands and chase exotic girls,' he replied, a small smile forming on his lips.

'When did you get over that?' retorted Misty sardonically.

'When I realised that all that stuff was shallow,' said Ash, pulling her closer to his side. She looked at him questioningly. 'Exotic things look nice and all, but in my opinion, nothing beats the taste of home.'

Before Misty could formulate a smart response to that, he kissed her confidently. He could feel the smile on her lips as she kissed him back even more avidly. Pikachu made a disgruntled noise from the table beside him.


	4. Sun, Sea and Shanties

**Author's Note: **Just a cute one-shot of what I think Ash and Misty would do on a trip to the beach. They are about eighteen here.

* * *

_Sun, Sea and Shanties_

The golden sand was hot from the blazing summer sun, scorching Ash's bare feet as he pumped up a small purple inflatable boat. Behind him, Misty reclined on a white deckchair in an orange bikini and red sunglasses, while Pikachu lay on the sand beside her. Their tiny cove was hidden from view of the rest of the beach by a series of tall, sloping sand dunes. Sweat trickled down Ash's forehead as he attempted to fill the boat with air.

'You nearly done, Ash?' asked Misty lazily, moving her head an inch to look over at him.

'Almost … some help would have been appreciated,' said Ash through gritted teeth.

'Don't be ridiculous – two people can't pump up a boat at the same time,' she scoffed, reaching down for her strawberry smoothie. She took a sip and sighed with relish, before taking off the lid and letting Pikachu try some.

Ash refrained from throwing a biting remark back at her and put a burst of extra energy into the last few pumps. Finally, the little boat was full of air and ready to go. He collapsed onto the sand in exhaustion and wiped a hand over his forehead.

'About time!' said Misty, jumping up from her chair and picking up the two oars. 'Let's go sailing!'

'Just a minute …' panted Ash, holding up a hand while he caught his breath. But Misty ignored him and gleefully pushed the boat out onto the sparkling water. 'Pika!' cried Pikachu, leaping onto the prow in delight.

Ash groaned and clambered to his feet to follow her before she left without him. A flock of Wingull soared far overhead, cawing tranquilly. Misty was waist-deep in the still water before Ash caught up to her. She jumped athletically into the boat and scooted up to the tail end. He made a half-hearted leap towards the boat and crashed into the side. Misty laughed.

'Come on, Ash! Just one big jump!'

'It's not so easy when you just spent the best part of an hour pumping up the stupid thing,' he muttered.

'Oh, cheer up,' she said brightly, poking him in the face with an oar. He glowered at her.

He gathered himself and tried to board the boat once again. While his entrance was not exactly graceful, he at least managed successfully to get inside. There wasn't much room to manoeuvre, however, and he ended up landing on his back with his legs up in the air resting on Misty.

'Ash!' she complained, shoving his legs away from her.

'Sorry – there's not a whole lot of room here,' he said in a slightly muffled voice as he attempted to right himself. He whacked his foot off her shoulder and stubbed the other on one of the oars. Pikachu ducked and scuttled along the plastic rim to avoid being knocked overboard. The boat rocked as the two of them tried to collect themselves, while they shouted complaints and insults for every misplaced limb that went awry. The Wingull who had been riding lazily on the air currents above them took fright at the noise and flew swiftly away.

'Now,' said Ash happily, sitting up straight at the head of the boat with both oars in hand.

'You quite comfortable?' said Misty grouchily. She had been forced to sit in a tightly cross-legged position to accommodate Ash's long legs.

'Yep,' he grinned. 'Right – let's go sailing! Know any sea shanties?'

'Don't even think about singing out here,' she shot at him. 'The main beach is just behind that sand dune and sound carries far on water.'

Ash assumed a look of mock insult.

'Are you saying I'm a bad singer?!'

'Yes,' she replied with a dead-pan expression.

He took a deep breath, filling his lungs. With a huge grin on his face, he broke into song:

'Aaaaaaaaa sailor went to sea, sea, sea – to see what he could see, see, see - '

'Ash!' protested Misty loudly, putting a hand to her forehead in embarrassment. 'Why am I going out with you?'

'Because you _love _me!' he said with a wink, nudging her with his foot. 'Amn't I such a keeper?'

She shot him a look of pure exasperation and he snickered. He stuck the oars in the water and began to row them out further from the beach. Soon they caught sight of the larger strand beyond the sand dunes. Dozens of people were milling about on the fiery sand. They looked like toy figures from this distance.

'Ash, don't go too far – we could get caught in a current,' said Misty warningly, looking about her nervously.

'Don't worry so much,' said Ash airily. 'We'll be fine – right, Pikachu?'

'Pi – Pikachu!' chirped Pikachu in agreement.

'Seriously, Ash, we should turn around,' she insisted, reaching for the oars.

'You were the one who wanted to come out here in the first place,' he countered, holding them out of reach.

She cast him a withering glance and climbed on top of him in an attempt to snatch the oars. He laughed and stretched further. A moment later, however, she knocked his arm and they both froze as two _'plops' _sounded behind them. There was a moment of silence.

'Did you just drop the oars?' she said, looking him in the eye.

'Eh … no?' said Ash, clasping his now empty hands into fists before scratching his head.

'I can't _believe _you just dropped them!' exclaimed Misty. They both looked back behind the boat and saw the oars floating sedately away, far out of reach.

Ash cleared his throat awkwardly and folded his arms.

'Well, looks like we have loads of time to chat now. You always like that deep, bonding stuff, right?'

She rolled her eyes towards heaven and sighed.

'Not today, boyfriend.'

'What do you mean?'

She pulled out a Poké Ball and tossed it into the air. Starmie appeared with a splash in the sea beside them.

'Wha - ? Where did you even pull that from?' he exclaimed in bafflement, ogling her bikini.

She stood up in the little boat and winked at him.

'That's for me to know and you to find out – when you get back to shore, that is.'

Before he had a chance to respond, Misty made a perfect dive into the water. She surfaced and grabbed hold of Starmie, who promptly began to power away towards the beach. Ash stared after her, slack-jawed in disbelief. He slowly turned around to exchange a bewildered look with Pikachu, who gazed back blankly at him.

'I don't suppose you're much of a swimmer, buddy?' he said ruefully.

'Pika pi,' replied Pikachu.


	5. Home is Where the Party Is

**Author's Note: **This is the sequel to _Kalos vs Kanto, _so Ash is twenty-five. This took me much longer to write than usual - and I'm not sure why, as I knew exactly what was going to happen. I love exploring other ships in the Pokémon world, so for those of you who are romantically inclined - this is for you.

* * *

_Home is Where the Party Is_

'I don't want to be here,' said Misty.

'We agreed to come,' retorted Ash, slightly impatiently.

'No – _you _agreed to come,' Misty reminded him sharply. 'I had to just smile and nod because I'd look rude otherwise.'

Ash groaned. He had been afraid of this. Why had he agreed to come to Serena's party? He sensed it was going to be more trouble than it was worth.

'You don't have to talk to her for the whole night. May, Drew, Dawn and Zoey will all be here,' said Ash reasonably. Misty made an 'hmm' sound in her throat.

They continued to walk up the darkening path of Vaniville Town towards Serena's house. Dusk was descending quickly, and the other residents of the town were busily locking up for the night. It felt weird to be walking without the reassuring weight of Pikachu on his shoulder. Ash had decided to leave Pikachu and his other Pokémon with his mother for the night, after Misty had made the point that they probably wouldn't appreciate being stuck in a loud house full of drunken grown-ups. He tugged at the black dickie-bow tied around his neck. Misty's hand shot up and slapped his hand away.

'Don't mess it up,' she shot at him. He looked down at her, amused. For someone who had expressed a wish to go home, she certainly seemed to care about how they both looked tonight. While Ash had spent all of ten minutes selecting his suit for the party (grey, with a white shirt), Misty had spent three days shopping around Celadon and Saffron Cities, before finally settling on a long, flowing turquoise dress with a split running all the way up to her right thigh. Every time Ash looked at her in that dress he felt virtually weak at the knees. He told her so, but she dismissed his compliment as an attempt to earn brownie points after his rash answer to Serena's invitation.

'Let's just try and have a good night,' said Ash, holding out his arm for Misty to take. 'All of our friends will be here – and there are absolutely no feelings left between me and Serena.'

Misty hesitated. She looked like she wanted to say something sarcastic, but she bit her tongue. She linked her arm through the crook of Ash's elbow and looked him in the eye. Her green irises glinted softly in the light of the passing lampposts.

'Ok,' she said softly.

Ash smiled and they turned the final corner in the street, coming into view of Serena's house. It was impossible to miss. Scarlet balloons had been strung up around the front door and at every window, each one proclaiming the birthday girl was turning twenty-three. They walked through the open gate and past a large Pokémon house, where a hefty and aged Rhyhorn lay sleeping – oddly with a pair of industrial-sized earmuffs on. Music thumped from the house, and the downstairs windows flashed with strobe lights.

'Grace really went all out,' said Ash, taken aback.

'Yeah,' agreed Misty, briefly tightening her hold of his arm.

They moved forwards together and stopped when they noticed the two bouncers standing in the shadows on either side of the front door.

'Bouncers? Really?' said Misty in disbelief.

'Well, Serena is pretty famous now,' shrugged Ash. Misty shook her head and they stepped up to the two muscled mountains.

'Names?' said one of the bouncers, holding an electronic tablet up to his face.

'Eh … Ketchum. Ash and Misty,' said Ash uncertainly. The man gazed at the screen for a moment and nodded. He knocked on the door without saying another word. There was a few seconds wait before it was pulled open to reveal a familiar face.

'Tierno!' exclaimed Ash in delight. 'Long time no see!'

'Ash!' cried Tierno, catching him up in a tight hug. 'Good to see you, buddy!'

It was strange to see Tierno in a black tuxedo – Ash was used to him wearing an old shirt and shorts. He turned to look at Misty and goggled at her.

'Ash, is this your girlfriend?' he asked in a ridiculous whisper. He had clearly started early on the wine.

'Yeah, Tierno, this is Misty – Misty, Tierno,' said Ash, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

'Nice to meet you,' smiled Misty warmly.

'You too – you're gorgeous! Ash, how did you score someone like her?! She's way out of your league!' exclaimed Tierno.

Ash laughed, slightly awkwardly, and patted him on the shoulder.

'Good question,' smirked Misty. She took Ash by the hand and they squeezed past Tierno, who bobbed away at once through the crowd of people in the hall. They could hear him announcing Ash's arrival throughout the house.

'I wonder if May is here yet,' said Misty, looking at the throng before them uncertainly.

'Only one way to find out,' said Ash with a grin. They moved off through the house, nodding and smiling at everyone who greeted them as they passed. There were several notable personalities floating around in expensive suits and dresses, including a couple of famous actors and models. They walked into the sitting-room and Ash spotted Diantha, the Champion of Kalos, standing by the window chatting to several admirers. He turned back to look at the crowd and at once came face to face with Serena.

'Ash! Misty!' she cried in delight, leaning forwards to hug them both. 'I'm so happy you could come.'

She looked absolutely stunning in a silky silver dress trimmed with sparkling diamonds and a plunging neckline. A pair of white high heels made her tower over most of the girls around her, including Misty.

'We were happy to come,' smiled Misty. She tugged an envelope out of her handbag and offered it to her. 'Happy birthday!'

'Oh, thank you! You didn't have to,' she said appreciatively.

'You having a good night so far?' asked Ash, trying his utmost to keep his eyes level with her face, despite the fact that they both seemed to weigh more than usual and wanted nothing more than to drop a few inches.

Serena flashed him a dazzling smile.

'Absolutely! I'm having a ball – you guys should try the buffet. Mom and my aunt got together to prepare it all yesterday – it's delicious!'

'Food? Where?' asked Ash eagerly, looking around at once. Misty rolled her eyes.

'Typical Ash,' she and Serena said at the same time. There was a moment's pause and Serena laughed, followed by Misty a few seconds too late.

'I think I see May and the others,' said Misty, linking her arm with Ash's once again. 'Let's go and say hi, Ash.'

'Yeah, sure. Talk to you in a bit, Serena,' he said brightly.

'Ok, have fun!' she smiled before dashing off to greet some more newcomers.

Misty guided Ash firmly through the crowd of rowdy partygoers. A new song that was currently topping the charts was blasting from the speakers, causing the very air to vibrate with the beat. An elaborate system of strobe lights had been hooked up to the ceiling, throwing sharp and eclectic fingers of blinding light across the makeshift dancefloor. Ash sensed a slight chill in Misty's demeanour, but he couldn't question her about it while they were surrounded by all these people. They reached the far corner of the room and found a group of their old friends seated on armchairs around a shining glass coffee table. Brock jumped up immediately and hugged both of them in greeting while May, Drew, Dawn, Zoey and Clemont hailed them enthusiastically. May pulled Misty by the arm to sit between herself and Drew, whose expression soured slightly. He stood up and laboriously poured himself some more wine, before making brief eye contact with Dawn, who immediately rose from her seat next to Zoey and took his place. He settled himself with a sigh opposite his girlfriend and began chatting animatedly to Zoey.

Ash watched these proceedings with an air of distinct bewilderment. He cautiously sat on the arm of a double sofa beside Brock and Clemont and raised his eyebrows questioningly at them. Brock leaned close to his ear to make himself heard over the music.

'This has been going on since we got here. May and Drew have fallen out over something and Dawn and Zoey have apparently been arguing for days. Welcome to the land of awkward.'

Clemont smiled uncertainly and shrugged, mirroring the perplexed look on Ash's face.

'Ash, how's the holiday in Kalos going?' Zoey shouted over to him from her armchair.

'Great!' he replied loudly. 'Although the party invite was a bit of a surprise.'

'I'm sure Misty was thrilled,' grinned Zoey knowingly, raising her wine glass to her lips to hide her words from the subject of her remark.

'Yeah, you could say that,' said Ash with an awkward laugh.

'If you ask me, relationships are more trouble than they're worth,' quipped Drew scathingly, deliberately averting his eyes from May.

Ash could not think of an adequate reply to that, so instead he cleared his throat and gazed vaguely over at the pulsing crowd of sweaty dancers. Misty, May and Dawn had all put their heads together and were whispering conspiratorially, throwing an occasional glance across the coffee table.

'Oh, screw this,' muttered Ash irritably, grabbing an empty glass from the table and filling it generously from the nearest bottle. Brock and Clemont exchanged a glance while he downed it.

The night progressed quickly. The music got louder and the dancefloor got more crowded as the supply of alcohol began to dwindle. It was well past midnight when Ash found himself bopping in the middle of the seemingly huge crowd of people cavorting in the centre of the sitting-room. There were drunken cheers and shrieks of laughter all around him. More than once he felt a hand trailing over his ass, but he thought nothing of it. He had no idea where Misty had disappeared to. After May and Drew had their shouting match across the coffee table, everyone scattered their own way. Someone put their arm over his shoulder in an attempt to draw him into a dancing circle. He squinted blearily at the person to see if he knew them … but he couldn't make them out. His head was too fuzzy. He shouted and cheered along with the others when a young man started beat boxing in the middle of the circle. A few moments later he looked up to see May wending her way through the throng, leading a tall, dark man by the hand. It was Marlon, a Gym Leader from the Unova region. May winked at Ash as they passed. He felt suddenly tired and detached himself from the circle in order to leave the dancefloor. He managed to make it to the dining-room on unsteady legs, where the long wooden table was laden with food and drink – or at least, it had been a few hours ago. It was currently covered with empty plates and wine bottles. He passed Grace and Professor Sycamore, who were deep in tipsy conversation. He paused for a moment to stare at a girl seated on a spare chair whom he thought looked familiar, leaning on the doorframe to steady himself.

'You ok there, Ash?' asked Zoey, looking at him cautiously.

'Me? Yeah – I'm great!' said Ash, waving an airy hand. 'How are _you_, Zoey?'

'Not too good … but I can see you've had a bit too much to drink, so I won't burden you with my problems right now,' she said, raising her eyebrow as he wobbled on his feet.

'No, no! Talk to me. I am a fantastic drunk listener,' he said insistently, dropping into a chair beside her and focusing his less than steady gaze on her face. She looked at him in slight bewilderment and laughed.

'Ok, Mr. Thoughtful,' she said, her eyes glinting. 'The truth is, I don't think me and Dawn are gonna work out. She likes – well, someone else.'

'What are you talking about? No she doesn't,' said Ash in disbelief. 'You guys are great together.'

'I wish that were true,' sighed Zoey, placing her elbow on the arm of the chair and resting her chin on her hand. 'But she likes Kenny …'

'Listen – she doesn't like him as much as you think,' said Ash, assuming what he thought was a serious and meaningful tone. 'He fancies her _way _more than she fancies him. Besides, she's crazy in love with you – that's obvious. I don't even need Misty to tell me that much.'

Zoey looked at him speculatively.

'Are you sure?' she asked.

Ash rolled his eyes as if his own genius was clearly apparent.

'Of course I'm sure! Honest word of a Pokémon Master!'

Zoey chuckled and punched him affectionately on the arm.

'Thanks, Ash. You know – you really are a good drunk listener.'

'See, I told you!' he exclaimed. He nodded impressively and rose to his feet, swaying slightly. 'Now I have to go and find my girlfriend. I lost her somewhere.'

'Ok, but you be careful. You look like you're about to topple over,' said Zoey in amusement. He disregarded her warning and set off for the kitchen.

He practically fell through the door and caught himself on the corner of the counter. Several people tittered at the sight of him, but he imperially ignored them, walking with his nose in the air across the kitchen towards the open back door, where he saw a pretty girl with shoulder-length red hair leaning against the wall. He tapped her on the shoulder.

'Hey, beautiful,' he said, waggling his eyebrows.

Misty turned around and giggled at the sight of him.

'Ash, you are totally wasted,' she observed, amused.

'Am not!' he said at once.

'You are too,' chimed in Brock, who was sitting on a picnic table beside a despondent Dawn.

The spacious back garden was dotted with several small wooden outdoor tables, placed between a number of tiki torches which burned merrily beneath the starry sky. A smaller group of people than those inside were milling about the garden, including Diantha, who was seated at a nearby table talking to Alexa and Viola, a journalist and Gym Leader respectively.

'Nose out, Brocko,' said Ash, pointing a falsely threatening finger at him.

Brock laughed as Misty caught hold of Ash's elbow to prevent him from falling forward. Dawn gave a small smile and continued absently twisting the long thin folds of her sapphire gown.

'Dawn, I think Zoey is looking for you,' said Ash.

'I doubt it,' she said testily. 'She had nothing nice to say to me an hour ago.'

'I spoke to her and she told me she loves you,' said Ash, shrugging casually.

Dawn looked at him in shock as Misty groaned.

'As usual, always the diplomat,' she said in exasperation. But Dawn did not look offended. Instead she glanced into the light of the kitchen and seemed to come to some sort of resolution. She hopped up from the table.

'I'll see you guys later,' she said with a smile, making to move past them.

'You sure you want to do this now?' asked Misty softly, touching her arm briefly.

'Yeah. No need to worry,' she said with a return to her usual cheerful humour. 'Thanks for listening to me, Misty.'

Misty smiled as Dawn left them to return to the party.

'I am just a regular matchmaker,' said Ash, shaking his head at his own brilliance. Misty rolled her eyes.

'If you guys will excuse me, I must go and introduce myself to that trio of gorgeous girls over there,' said Brock, gazing mistily at Diantha, Alexa and Viola.

'You go for it, Brock!' said Ash, fist-pumping the air.

'Why don't we go back inside,' said Misty, gripping his arm to ensure he did not accidentally knock someone in the head.

'Mm, ok,' he said, following her lead as she moved back into the warmth of the kitchen.

They passed the dining-room door, through which Dawn and Zoey were visible kissing passionately on the chair. Misty smiled at the sight of them and pulled Ash towards the hall – past Tierno who was challenging the small gaggle of people around him to do yet another round of shots.

'Where are we going?' asked Ash, tripping over an empty bottle lying on the floor.

'Exploring,' said Misty evasively.

The hall was empty apart from two people, but they could hear others moving around upstairs. Marlon was standing in the corner of the hall beside the front door, his arms wrapped around Serena's sparkling dress. They appeared to be very busy and so did not notice Ash and Misty skulking by. Misty glanced past them through the sitting-room door and then hurriedly pulled Ash up the stairs.

'Misty, we probably shouldn't be up here,' whispered Ash groggily.

'It's fine,' she said with a mischievous smile, tugging on his arm. 'Come on!'

They reached the landing and Misty led them into a spare bedroom which was in semi-darkness. The music from downstairs was thumping through the floor, and the cries and snatches of singing were dulled slightly. Misty pushed Ash down onto the bed and slid onto his lap.

'I've had quite enough of silly small talk with all those rich idiots,' she murmured, looking intently into Ash's eyes.

For the first time in a few hours, his vision became razor-sharp once again. All he could see was the sea green of her eyes. They glinted softly in the light of the moon and stars, which shone in through the bedroom window.

'I've wanted to kiss you all night,' he said softly, placing his hands on either side of her waist.

She opened her mouth to respond, but paused as a pair of drunken forms stumbled past the doorway. The giggling figures of May and Drew were clearly visible before they moved off across the landing.

'Looks like everyone is kissing and making up tonight,' she said wryly.

'Let's skip the kiss and make up part and go straight for the fun bit,' growled Ash, sliding his hands up her back to the catch in her dress. She grinned and kissed him firmly, running her hands under his shirt and up his muscled back. He gripped her tightly and rolled suddenly sideways on the bed, so that she landed on her back and he kneeled above her. She giggled as he leaned down to kiss her cheek and cup the back of her neck in one hand.

'And you said you wouldn't enjoy yourself,' he said with a playful grin.

'Maybe I was too rash …' she admitted, her hands travelling down his back to grip his belt.

Most of the night was a blur in Ash's memory, but he remembered the events of the last hour with vivid clarity.


	6. A Thousand Words

**Author's Note: **Just a nice slow-paced one where Misty gets nostalgic. Ash is eighteen. Please leave a review and tell me what you think about the one-shot series so far. Suggestions are welcome!

* * *

_ A Thousand Words_

The last rays of the setting sun made the windows of the little sitting-room glow a brilliant crimson. Misty yawned as she kicked off her shoes and placed her cup of tea on the coffee table beside the latest issue of _Cerulean Weekly_. The long day was finally over, and even though she had been victorious against every challenger who had arrived at the Gym, she felt oddly despondent. Azurill waddled into the room and bounced up onto the sofa with a sigh of contentedness. Misty smiled and patted it on the head. She had just settled herself into the cushions beside it, with her legs folded beneath her when the sound of someone calling her name floated through the open door.

'Misty – hello? Are you there? Like – you totally promised us you'd make the dinner tonight, sister! Hop to it.'

Misty groaned and smacked herself in the face with the magazine.

'Daisy, I'm too tired to make food tonight,' she called back, her voice slightly muffled through the pages of the magazine.

'I don't care – Lily is the only other person in this house who can cook, and she's away in Saffron for a photo-shoot,' Daisy shot back, her voice verging on moaning. 'Violet and I are gonna starve if you don't help!'

'Oh, fine!' Misty snapped, tossing the magazine back at the coffee table and standing up again.

'Thanks, sis, you're a star,' said Daisy. There was the sound of a giggle and a door slamming.

'What am I going to do about those two?' Misty asked Azurill in exasperation.

'Azu?' said Azurill, confused.

'Never mind – let's go and get some food,' she smiled, picking up Azurill and walking towards the hallway which led to the kitchen. Her pocket vibrated as her phone beeped, and she stopped beside a tall bookshelf to try and get it. She held Azurill in one arm and reached down to grope in her jeans pocket. The tips of her fingers just brushed off the phone when Azurill started to slide out of her grip.

'Oh!' she gasped, yanking her hand out of her pocket in order to catch her surprised Pokémon. But her elbow smacked painfully hard off the wooden shelves of the bookcase, and as Misty danced around in pain, the shelf in question tottered and tipped forward, disgorging a multitude of heavy books, CDs, DVDs and picture frames onto the floor.

'No, no, stop!' cried Misty, shoving her shoulder against the shelves in an attempt to steady them, while wincing as the sharp corners of various objects bounced off her body.

A few moments later and the bookcase was stable, although half its contents were now strewn on the floor – and Misty was covered in bruises. Azurill had been sheltered by Misty's body, and now hopped out of her arms to look with interest at the objects on the floor.

'This is just not my day,' groaned Misty, sinking to her knees to begin to pick everything up. She unceremoniously shoved several books and films back onto the shelves in random disorder. She paused after a few moments in order to check her phone and see who was responsible for her collection of new bruises. It was a text message from Ash;

_Hey :) __training was great today. Stopped off in Brock's and he made a huuuge roast meal. It was amazing! Sorry you had to work.. btw any food left in the fridge for when I get back? _

Misty sighed and shook her head, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. In the eight years she had known him, the appetite of Ash Ketchum had never wavered. His fantastic timing was still spot on, too.

Azurill wandered over to a large photo album, which lay open on the floor several feet away.

'What have you got there, Azurill?' asked Misty, scooting across the wooden floor to take a look. When her eyes fell on the plastic pages, she gasped in recognition. It was an old album she had put together several years ago to chronicle her early travels. A much younger version of herself was grinning confidently out of a large photograph alongside a ten-year-old Ash, who was fist-pumping the air in triumph – and a very exasperated-looking Brock, whose face was half-concealed by an embarrassed hand. Misty laughed to herself as she remembered the childish joke Ash had made to the photographer they had encountered on their journey. Two more photos on the page showed them on the beach of what was most likely Porta Vista, relaxing in the sunlight. She continued to slowly turn the pages with Azurill now nuzzled comfortably in her lap. She smiled and laughed every time she came across a particularly embarrassing picture. Several familiar faces popped up now and then, including the ambitious young photographer they met on the road, Todd, and one of Ash's earliest rivals, Ritchie – both of whom were now good friends. Misty grinned when she came to a photo which in which she stood on a floating platform in an old canal to accept the first place medal after the Tour de Alto Mare … a disgruntled Ash stood off to one side with Totodile hopping around excitedly.

Without her even noticing, almost an hour passed while she sat on the floor of the sitting-room. The fabulous sunset had faded and the room was thrown into the shadow of dusk. It was only when she had to squint to see the photos did she realise how much time had passed.

'Oops … I guess the time got away from me there,' she murmured to Azurill after glancing up at the dark window. She uncrossed her creaky legs and pulled herself to her feet, the album tucked under her arm. She gazed at the cover for a few moments and then pulled out her phone. Looking at Ash's message again, she realised why she had felt so despondent all day. She typed out a reply;

_I'm sure you're stuffed from Brock's, but what do you think about going out somewhere nice for dinner? And maybe we could go to our old spot by the Cape afterwards? Xxx_

She slid her phone back into her pocket and carefully placed the photo album back into its spot on the bookcase, staring thoughtfully at the purple spine. Only a few moments passed before her phone beeped again. She quickly took it out.

_Yeah, sure! I've missed our date nights.. and if you want we could work off the meal with some kind of exercise tonight? ;)_

Misty blushed in the semi-darkness and grinned. She sent back a quick '_ok_' and gazed around the room without really seeing it. She hugged Azurill close to her body and smiled.

'Misty, where is our dinner? We're starving in here!' shouted Daisy from the other room.


	7. Lean On Me

**Author's Note: **Here's a bit of action and adventure - because Ash and Misty are not, after all, a normal couple. They are the most bad-ass power couple in the whole Pokémon world.

* * *

_Lean On Me_

Flames erupted from the windows of Team Rocket's Headquarters. Echoing explosions and shrieks could be heard coming from all directions. Ash stumbled away from the burning building, clutching his side as a searing pain shot through his ribs. Twenty feet in front of him, the edge of the forest loomed, dark and inviting. A downed helicopter with the bright red capital 'R' on its flank lay atop several flattened trees and piles of debris. He hung on to an unconscious Pikachu with his left arm. His vision swam before him. He just needed to reach the cover of the trees …

'Tyranitar – stop that little shit with Hyper Beam!' bellowed a furious voice behind him. He whirled around in time to see the enormous shape of the intimidating Pokémon emerge from the cloud of smoke that clung to the ground. Its trainer stood silhouetted against the dark building beyond several husks of ruined trucks.

Ash did not have the energy to defend himself, and all of his Pokémon were exhausted. He attempted to limp away out of the range of the attack, but his face lit up a dark golden brown as Tyranitar began to charge it up. He gritted his teeth in resignation and stared down his assailant, determined not to turn away if this was the end.

The powerful beam of light fired from Tyranitar and streaked across the open space in front of the crumbling headquarters …

'Starmie, Protect!' shouted a voice.

A blur of purple shot through the air and suddenly a large blue shield of protective energy blossomed out of thin air. The Hyper Beam exploded off the shield with terrifying force, pushing Starmie back several feet across the pebbled ground.

'Starmie?' murmured Ash, confused. He reached forward to place a hand on Starmie's back. He would know that Pokémon anywhere …

Another figure appeared through the smoke, running across the open ground. It skirted around an upturned truck and leaped over the severed tail of the helicopter before skidding to a halt beside Ash.

'Misty?!' exclaimed Ash in astonishment. 'What are you doing here? I thought you were going out for the day with your sisters?'

'Change of plans,' said Misty shortly, glancing at him quickly. 'And if this is what you do every time I make social engagements, you and me need to have a serious talk.'

Ash managed a lopsided grin.

'I'm glad to see you, Mist.'

'Yeah, I bet you are,' she snorted. She turned back to her Pokémon. 'Starmie, give us some cover with Hydro Pump!'

'Don't let them get away, Tyranitar; Hyper Beam!' roared the blue-haired executive.

The two attacks collided in mid-air, resulting in a colossal explosion which whipped up dirt and pebbles and pelted both sides with debris. Ash and Misty threw up their hands to shield their faces.

'Let's get out of here!' cried Misty, hunched over to steady herself against the shockwave.

'Good idea,' said Ash. He attempted to follow Misty's steps towards the dark trees, but she quickly noticed his bad limp.

'What have you done to yourself?' she said in concern, hurrying back to his side.

'Well, I didn't exactly do it to myself,' he said sarcastically, huffing as the pain in his ribs peaked. Misty gazed into his eyes and gently wiped a trickle of blood off his forehead.

There was a huge, echoing boom as a section of the building collapsed behind them, bringing them back to the present. The Team Rocket executive had returned the exhausted Tyranitar to its Poké Ball and was now charging towards them, murder in his eyes.

'Send him flying with Psychic, Starmie,' said Misty coldly. The man was lifted bodily from the ground, and with a look of surprise on his face, was thrown across the smoky battlefield and into a distant bush.

Misty wrapped an arm around Ash's broad back and placed his right hand around her neck.

'Lean on me, Ash,' she said. 'I can carry you.'

'I know,' he said with a twinkling smile.


	8. A Mother's Point of View

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the prolonged absence. College is crazy at the moment. But as soon as the exams are over I'll be spending a lot more time writing! Anyway, Ash is sixteen in this story and his relationship with Misty has just begun. Enjoy.

* * *

_A Mother's Point of View_

Delia brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes as she bent over her vibrant bed of roses beside the house. They shone with a healthy glow in the fierce light of the summer sun. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that there were several grey hairs mixed among the brown ones. She sighed and straightened up as Mr Mime busily pulled up weeds. A tinkling laugh floated over to her on the faint breeze. She turned around and raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun. With a smile, she spotted her son and his new girlfriend running through the hilly meadows a few hundred yards away. He was holding her hand, and was laughing fit to burst as they raced each other over the crest of the hill.

Delia picked up her straw hat and put it on as she sorted through her basket of seeds and fruits, which lay on the white wooden doorstep of the house. To think that she used to be worried about how Ash would behave once he started to develop an interest in girls. Her worst fear was that he would become like his father – the most bombastic flirt she had ever encountered, and not the most loyal partner a girl could hope for. Fortunately, however, Ash proved to be adorably shy when it came to chasing girls he liked. His obsession with Pokémon certainly delayed the normal teenage hormonal cycle by a couple of years or so. Delia scooped up a handful of seeds and scattered them in the freshly turned earth behind the white picket fence.

Serena had been a charming first girlfriend for Ash, but Delia suspected early on that it would not last. Apart from anything else, they lived very far away from each other. That was bound to cause problems. Ash had fallen hard and fast for that girl, and was understandably crushed when they eventually broke up, but it was for the best. Delia had been worried then that Ash would lose his enthusiasm for training in the weeks of moping around the house that followed. She need not have concerned herself with that, however. Something she should have learned by now was that nothing – _nothing_ could dampen Ash's love of Pokémon and battling.

She raked the lush brown earth and reached for the watering can, but it was not where she had left it. Mr Mime hurried over and handed it to her with a smile.

'Oh, thanks, Mimey – I'm all wrapped up in my thoughts at the moment,' she said apologetically.

She sprinkled the newly planted seeds generously and stood up to stretch. Glancing over at the meadow, she could see the pair of them sitting cross-legged among the colourful wildflowers, talking with smiles on their faces. Delia had been absolutely thrilled to come home from shopping one day to find Ash and Misty kissing on the sofa – an odd reaction that many mothers would surely find baffling. But Delia had known about Misty's feelings for Ash for years, almost from when they first began their journey together. Over the ensuing years Misty had become a regular visitor to the Ketchum household – more regular, in fact, than her own son – and Delia had begun to see her as a member of the family. Ash had sheepishly informed his mother several days later that Misty was his new girlfriend, and to his complete bewilderment had received a delighted hug before she rushed into the kitchen to make his favourite dinner.

A flock of Pidgey flew over the garden, chirping loudly. Delia found herself smiling again and leaned on the fence, gazing out absent-mindedly at the road that ran past the house. All things considered, life was very good for her and her family at the moment. It really was a beautiful day. The sound of footsteps pulled her from her reflections. She turned around to see Ash and Misty walking lightly up the garden path. Pikachu bobbed happily on Ash's shoulder.

'Hi, Mom,' said Ash brightly. 'Misty and I are gonna grab the fishing rods from the shed and go to the beach.'

'Sounds like a lovely idea,' beamed Delia. 'Make sure you both put on lots of sunscreen.'

'We will, Mrs Ketchum,' said Misty as Ash rolled his eyes.

'I don't get sunburn,' said Ash assuredly.

'Yes, you do. You burned that time we went to Porta Vista,' said Misty in exasperation.

'I did not!' said Ash indignantly.

'Did too,' said Misty with a smirk, leading him into the shade of the house.

Delia smiled and looked up into the vast blue sky. If her world could just freeze in this moment she would be perfectly content. No worries and no complications disturbed her peace. Mr Mime resumed his careful care of the bed of azaleas. Not a single cloud darkened the immense cerulean sky above.


End file.
